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REACTIONS have continued to path the kidnapping of Nkem Owoh by some unidentified gunmen on Monday afternoon alongside the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
Owoh, who’s popularly known as Osuofia, a task he performed in certainly one of his early movies, is from Enugu State, the place he additionally lives.
Efforts to succeed in Owoh on two of his numbers have been unsuccessful, because the telephones are ‘switched off’.
A supply near the household of the actor confirmed that Owoh’s abductors have reached out to “his family members and a top official of the Enugu State government.”
The abductors, based on a extensively circulated message, have reportedly demanded N15 million as ransom earlier than Owoh is launched.
Owoh’s abduction is coming barely three months after some unidentified gunmen kidnapped however later launched common actor and Re-branding Nigeria Ambassador, Chief Pete Edochie (MON).
Edochie was launched three days after unidentified hoodlums kidnapped him at Nkpor close to Onitsha. The former broadcaster and star of the tv adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s epic novel Things Fall Apart later united together with his household.
Though it was extensively reported by a piece of the media that his abductors had demanded ransom to the tune of about N10 million for his launch, the bearded actor refuted claims that they demanded ransom for his launch, stressing that quite the opposite he was handled like a father and reverenced like an elder.
According to Chuma Onwudiwe, Secretary General of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), who confirmed Owoh’s abduction, the actor was in all probability on his approach to a film shoot ‘someplace across the Enugu-Abia axis’.
Onwudiwe confirmed the receipt of an identical message and stated: “I am in touch with the family and our members in Enugu State, Owoh is a registered member of AGN there. I am also aware that the abductors have asked for a N15 million ransom. There is no other demand or news on the abduction yet, but be assured that I would reach you with further developments. The point is that someone has established contact with the abductors and I just pray nothing happens to him.”
Top Nollywood actor and producer, Steve Eboh aka Ajebo, expressed shock at Owoh’s abduction.
In his phrases, “it is sad that these hoodlums are now taking on people who are supposed to be making them happy in the face of depression. It is sad and a sad commentary too on the Nigerian question. If you link it to how our senior artiste, Chief Pete Edochie, was abducted recently, you would know that the people behind these are just people, who are hungry and protesting the bad governance in the nation and what have you. I think government should take a decisive step to improve the life of the people. Before it was militancy, now it is abduction.”
Hailed because the undisputed ‘King of Comedy’, Owoh hit the best word when he starred within the jubilee hit Osuufia in London in 2003. The film was produced and directed by Kingsley Ogoro.
Owoh rode on the again of the two-part film to emerge one among Nigeria’s highest paid actors, incomes near N2 million per film look.
Owoh later veered into singing. He launched an album, which he titled I’m going chop your greenback, which nevertheless, pitched him towards authorities.
Though a track about advance charge fraud, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) banned it for selling advance free fraud.
In 2007, Owoh was arrested in Amsterdam however was later launched after Police raided venue of a musical present the place he was performing.
The police arrested over 100 individuals on suspicion of lottery fraud and immigration violation however they did not discover Owoh responsible.
Also in 2008, Nollywood and followers of the actor have been thrown into momentary shock when it was rumoured that the actor had handed on following problems ensuing from the rupture of onerous medicine the actor reportedly ingested whereas making an attempt to visitors them out of Nigeria.
Owoh was reportedly arrested in Afghanistan, the place the rupture occurred. Owoh’s look in Lagos and a few reside tv and radio interview he granted was what dispelled the hearsay.
President of AGN, Segun Arinze, informed The Guardian yesterday that the guild was working with related authorities to “ensure that Owoh re-unites with his family and gets back to the fold.”
He stated, “we are all on red alert. My phones are on. I have been calling Enugu almost every five minutes. Our prayer is that nothing happens to him. We are entertainers. We work for every dime we have. So, demanding ransom from us is misplaced.”
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Source by Olukunle Odebo
